County Lines Drug Dealing and the Railway

[sk688]

Mods please delete/shift if not appropriate

I am currently researching the growth of County Lines Drug Dealing Networks across the UK in recent years, for the purposes of my dissertation and during this , have come across the fact that the railway is one of the most popular methods for dealers to send runners across the country.

While I'm aware of the BTP Taskforce in operation which attempts to combat the tactic, I was wondering if there were any specific TOC-led approaches which combat the issue on the railways.

Would appreciate any pointers on relevant points of contact/any useful information (via DM is fine if you'd rather it not be on a public forum ofc)

Thanks in advance

 

[Stigy]

Mods please delete/shift if not appropriate

I am currently researching the growth of County Lines Drug Dealing Networks across the UK in recent years, for the purposes of my dissertation and during this , have come across the fact that the railway is one of the most popular methods for dealers to send runners across the country.

While I'm aware of the BTP Taskforce in operation which attempts to combat the tactic, I was wondering if there were any specific TOC-led approaches which combat the issue on the railways.

Would appreciate any pointers on relevant points of contact/any useful information (via DM is fine if you'd rather it not be on a public forum ofc)

Thanks in advance

In my previous role on the railway, a bit part of my duties was identifying potential county lines subjects. Op County Lines is ongoing as the railway has and always will be an easy target. Certain TOCs have staff working closely with and accredited by the BTP and home office police forces.

 

[Phil R]

Mods please delete/shift if not appropriate

I am currently researching the growth of County Lines Drug Dealing Networks across the UK in recent years, for the purposes of my dissertation and during this , have come across the fact that the railway is one of the most popular methods for dealers to send runners across the country.

While I'm aware of the BTP Taskforce in operation which attempts to combat the tactic, I was wondering if there were any specific TOC-led approaches which combat the issue on the railways.

Would appreciate any pointers on relevant points of contact/any useful information (via DM is fine if you'd rather it not be on a public forum ofc)

Thanks in advance

You might like to factor in anecdotal aspects of the lockdowns that seemed to make these characters more visible given there were fewer passengers for them to disappear amongst.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Mods please delete/shift if not appropriate

I am currently researching the growth of County Lines Drug Dealing Networks across the UK in recent years, for the purposes of my dissertation and during this , have come across the fact that the railway is one of the most popular methods for dealers to send runners across the country.

While I'm aware of the BTP Taskforce in operation which attempts to combat the tactic, I was wondering if there were any specific TOC-led approaches which combat the issue on the railways.

Would appreciate any pointers on relevant points of contact/any useful information (via DM is fine if you'd rather it not be on a public forum ofc)

Thanks in advance

Is there a bit in your research about the moral panic around drug use resulting in its continual criminalisation? Because that’s the root cause of all this, really.

Working to end that is the only functional tactic anyone can use to combat the human costs of criminalisation. Anything else is just like having your foot caught in a trap and trying to free it by painting your toenails.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Last time I made a call concerned about the strong smell of cannabis from a particular carriage, a lone officer boarded at darlington, clutching his gilet in a rather cliche way, took an obviously big sniff, shrugged his shoulders, proclaimed it was a vape and walked off the carriage....

When I made the initial call and suggested they would need a dog that was certainly not what i was expecting!

 

[Russel]

Not being something I know a great deal about, how does one identify a potential county lines dealer on a train?

 

[flythetube]

This poster was spotted at Looe station recently.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Always find it interesting how many runners and those with drugs on them rarely buy train tickets, causing them to be spoken to for longer than needed, often allowing train crew to report them for further intel

 

[CharlieSpotted]

I know you say you're aware of the BTP operation, but I wondered if you'd seen this recent post from BTP about arrests at Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton:

Plain clothes British Transport Police (BTP) officers seized two suitcases containing a combined 16.5 kilograms of cannabis on the first of four days of enhanced national action tackling county lines.

The first suitcase, containing 10.5 kilograms of cannabis, was seized from a man at Birmingham New Street station on the morning of Monday 16 January. Just an hour later a second suitcase, this time containing 6 kilograms of cannabis, was seized from a man and a woman at Wolverhampton station.

https://www.btp.police.uk/news/btp/news/england/drug-suppliers-arrested-and-suitcases-of-cannabis-seized-in-four-day-county-lines-operation/

 

[Shimbleshanks]

Always find it interesting how many runners and those with drugs on them rarely buy train tickets, causing them to be spoken to for longer than needed, often allowing train crew to report them for further intel

Well, we're not dealing with the greatest criminal masterminds here.

 

[Sprinter107]

Always find it interesting how many runners and those with drugs on them rarely buy train tickets, causing them to be spoken to for longer than needed, often allowing train crew to report them for further intel

I've always wondered the same. Surely you'd not want to bring attention to yourself.

 

[Meerkat]

Fairly regularly have a barrier operation round here, with an arch to detect knives and a dog sniffing for drugs.

 

[Llanigraham]

If I remember correctly guards on the Cambrian were encouraged to watch out for teenagers not typical to the area and times, and to report these, and I understand several were stopped and found to be "mules".

 

[Llanigraham]

Not being something I know a great deal about, how does one identify a potential county lines dealer on a train?

Certainly on the Cambrian during Covid they were looking at people who didn't fit in with the normal pattern of passengers at the time, so typically young West Mids teenagers going to non-typical stations.

 

[Jonny]

I've always wondered the same. Surely you'd not want to bring attention to yourself.

Paper tickets with the capital M after the fare?

 

[Goofle]

Always find it interesting how many runners and those with drugs on them rarely buy train tickets, causing them to be spoken to for longer than needed, often allowing train crew to report them for further intel

I'd say it's the same logic that sees people carrying drugs wondering why they get stopped when they drive around in stupidly loud, lowered cars with no MOT, tax or insurance and driving like chumps.
If they had a standard looking bland beige car and didn't attract attention to themselves they could transport what they wanted when they wanted...

 

[Lloyds siding]

I'd say it's the same logic that sees people carrying drugs wondering why they get stopped when they drive around in stupidly loud, lowered cars with no MOT, tax or insurance and driving like chumps.
If they had a standard looking bland beige car and didn't attract attention to themselves they could transport what they wanted when they wanted...

The successful ones will be driving round in the 'beige' cars...

I was always surprised to see teenagers, traveling by themselves, in first class, heading towards Glasgow...it didn't look 'right'.

 

[AlastairFraser]

The successful ones will be driving round in the 'beige' cars...

I was always surprised to see teenagers, traveling by themselves, in first class, heading towards Glasgow...it didn't look 'right'.

To be honest, you've got to be careful. Plenty of young adults travel long distance home for Xmas from uni (did this last year myself) in 1st class as a once a year treat on e.g. GC.
The real identifiers are the avoidant behaviour, the use of a Nokia "brick" or similar feature phone (no teenager would be seen dead with that as their main phone in this day and age), using child tickets when they are very obviously 16+ etc.

 

[Jonny]

To be honest, you've got to be careful. Plenty of young adults travel long distance home for Xmas from uni (did this last year myself) in 1st class as a once a year treat on e.g. GC.
The real identifiers are the avoidant behaviour, the use of a Nokia "brick" or similar feature phone (no teenager would be seen dead with that as their main phone in this day and age), using child tickets when they are very obviously 16+ etc.

Some of us would use them if they had to buy a phone. If I was a teenager/full-time uni student again, I would gladly use a ^brick^ and I have never even so much as spent a penny on controlled substances (at least knowingly), nor have I ever been involved in organised crime. I only have a smartphone because someone else bought it for me as a present.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Some of us would use them if they had to buy a phone. If I was a teenager/full-time uni student again, I would gladly use a ^brick^ and I have never even so much as spent a penny on controlled substances (at least knowingly), nor have I ever been involved in organised crime. I only have a smartphone because someone else bought it for me as a present.

OK, but as a 20 year old, it is very much a cultural taboo amongst the vast majority to exclusively use one of these. The signs were intended to be interpreted in multiple, not just one.
Half the problem is that half of the things that a young adult or teenager would need or want to do are impossible on a feature phone.

 

[Andyh82]

To be honest, you've got to be careful. Plenty of young adults travel long distance home for Xmas from uni (did this last year myself) in 1st class as a once a year treat on e.g. GC.
The real identifiers are the avoidant behaviour, the use of a Nokia "brick" or similar feature phone (no teenager would be seen dead with that as their main phone in this day and age), using child tickets when they are very obviously 16+ etc.

To answer you first point, a lack of the obvious large amounts of student luggage is also a give away

 

[AlastairFraser]

To answer you first point, a lack of the obvious large amounts of student luggage is also a give away

That's true

 

[flythetube]

And this poster was spotted at Southampton Central today:-

 

[contrex]

Not being something I know a great deal about, how does one identify a potential county lines dealer on a train?

I must say that I was wondering that.

 

[Llanigraham]

From comments made by friends who are staff on the Cambrian, they can stand out like a sore thumb. Typically there aren't many 16 year olds with a rucksack and a Brummy accent travelling to Borth when it isn't school holidays, for example.

It was amazing the number of cars carry illegal substances into Wales that were caught when we had stricter lock-down rules than England. One was stopped in Welshpool with over £10k's worth of cocaine!

 

[Broken70]

If you see something that doesn't look right, text the BTP on 61016...

Sorry couldn't resist, gets coat.

 

[MikeWM]

And this poster was spotted at Southampton Central today:-

Saw a few of those at Cambridge last night.

'Look closer', but of course remember not to stare at people while you're doing it, as the other posters on the station tell you you're not allowed to do that......

 

[Sly Sloth]

It’s a plague….. DOO in certain areas where I drive(London metro) has helped it grow exponentially. It’s often done in broad daylight …. But on the positive side they almost all have tickets just in case there’s a block on so that they don’t get stopped so at least their paying

 

[MarkWi72]

See it, say it, sort it.

 

[Gloster]

See it, say it, snort it.